Visit a Banding Station

You might be lucky enough to have a bird banding station nearby that you can visit. These stations might be at a state or national park or other protected area, like you can find in Colorado at https://birdconservancy.org/what-we-do/education/bird-banding/. Stations that are open to the public may advertise “banding demonstrations,” which provide a unique opportunity to see birds up close. You can also learn about how birds are banded, and why – what important information is gained in the process to help us understand and help birds. There might even be an opportunity to release a bird, once the scientists have taken and recorded all the data. There is nothing more compelling than feeling a bird’s beating heart in your hand to make you appreciate our avian friends!